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Indian government ready to get tough on peaceful fasting anti nuclear protestors

Around 500 police personnel were deployed near the road leading to the project site on Monday and commandos have been positioned at the main gate of the KKNPP premises with automatic weapons.

Anti-nuclear protesters embark on 72-hour fast, THE HINDU, 22 Feb 2012 P. SUDHAKAR Even as a two-member International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team is camping at the Kundakulam Nuclear Power Project site for a routine annual review of reactors that fall under IAEA monitoring, anti-nuke protesters have announced a 72-hour-long fast in protest against the State Experts’ Panel convener S. Iniyan’s assertions that the panel members would not meet the
protesting villagers.

“The 72-hour long struggle will commence from Monday midnight as Maha Sivaratri falls on this day. Hence, to invoke the Almighty’s grace and blessings to further strengthen the ongoing anti-nuke protests and condemn the remarks of Dr. Iniyan, the hunger strike is being observed,” S.P. Udayakumar, convener of the struggle committee, said
after a weekly review meeting at Idinthakarai on Monday…..
“While the State Experts’ Panel has refused to meet our people and
certified that the KKNPP reactors had several safety features, nuclear
experts from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are inspecting the reactors.
It clearly shows that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
(NPCIL) is carrying out all related works for the early commissioning
of the plant, ignoring the State Cabinet’s resolution. Hence, the
KKNPP administration is clandestinely making the preliminary
arrangements for the commissioning of the plant. Hence this 72-hour
long protest,” said M. Pushparayan, anti-KKNPP struggle committee
member….
Around 500 police personnel were deployed near the road leading to the project site on Monday and commandos have been positioned at the main gate of the KKNPP premises with automatic weapons.